GROW THE BEST MAIZE
Get higher yields and profitability using less resources
Drip irrigation delivers maize harvest yields of 15 to 18 tons per hectare consistently, year after year, regardless of weather conditions. Drip irrigation fosters zero evaporation or runoff, so it creates the best water use efficiency (WUE) index possible.
Superior Raceways is offering to build for you at your maize farm a raceway fish tank to grow 1,000 pieces of tilapia or catfish per harvest cycle of three to four months. Twelve litres of water will be pumped into your fish tank per minute by a solar-power borehole we can construct for you at your maize farm.
Using waste waters from your fish tanks to drip-irrigate your maize will stabilize your farm and reduce your risk during dry season weather. Inconsistent rain becomes irrelevant when you use superior wastewater precision drip irrigation.
When growing maize, every season is a race to higher yields. But when you have a more precise way to control your water and nutrients, every season will be better than the last one.
Harvest more maize per kilogram of fertilizer.
Drip irrigation’s high nutrient application efficiency ensures maximized production per fertilizer unit. It enables precise, measured nutrient application according to the crop’s development stage, ensuring optimal crop nutrition with zero leaching.
100% land utilization
Drip irrigation uniformly irrigates 100% of your field, avoiding dead corners or unused plots, even on slopes or in odd-shaped fields. Drip is also a great solution for sandy soil where more frequent irrigation is a must.
Maximize operational efficiency
Long lasting performance
A subsurface drip irrigation system can last for up to 20 years, and many of the components, like filters, valves and conduction pipes, can last even longer.
Effective weed control
Precise water delivery ensures minimal weed growth, reducing herbicide application costs.
Easy operation, minimal maintenance
Drip systems have no moving parts or complex mechanisms, so, when compared to pivots, they require less maintenance and endure less breakdowns. Drip irrigation systems can be operated and programmed remotely, requiring less working hands per hectare.
Should I use on-surface or subsurface drip irrigation?
Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems are most suitable for large-scale operations. Compared to on-surface systems, they require a higher initial investment but deliver additional benefits like lower labor requirements and operational simplicity. SDI systems favor modern tillage practices such as no-till or minimum tillage.
On-surface systems are more suitable for small to medium-sized farms. They require a lower initial investment but carry a higher operational cost related to seasonal dripline deployment and collection. On-surface systems can be designed as 100% portable, making them a good fit for rented plots, allowing farmers to take their investment with them. Moreover, on-surface systems provide more flexibility in rotational crops.
Why should I choose drip irrigation over center pivot irrigation for my maize crop?
Drip irrigation fits all plot shapes and sizes, all soil types and all topographies. You can use pressure compensating dripper lines that maintain the same flowrate across different pressure levels so every plant in the field gets exactly the same amount of water and nutrients, no matter the elevation changes or distance from the water source. In fact, you get much better yields and maize quality, which are a direct result of water stress and fertilizer availability.
If I have a lot of rainfall, will drip still be a good investment?
Definitely. While having ample rainfall is obviously a huge advantage, rain is never timely enough or consistent enough to allow the crop to reach its full yield potential. This is even more evident with sandy soils that have a lower water holding capacity. On top of that, drip is also a nutrient delivery system that allows you to fertigate and control the nutrient levels in your soil in a precise and economical way. Applying all of your fertilizer in just a few applications can be wasteful, especially under rainy conditions that provoke leaching. Splitting your nutrient application throughout the season guarantees that your corn crop gets what it needs when it needs it. This is what makes drip systems the perfect tool for increasing productivity in previously rain-fed plots.
NetMaize
The maize irrigation app.
Every day should be a good day for your maize crop
Netmaize puts the power of information in farmers’ hands.
- Maximize water efficiency
- Maximize water efficiency
- Improve plant health
- Maintain consistent soil moisture conditions
- Reduce plant stress
- Boost maize crop productivity